KARACHI, Oct 17: Nazims of many towns in Karachi have warmed the federal government of an appropriate move if it did not 'rein in terrorists and extortionists' within and outside the government. The warning came at a press conference at the local press club on Sunday.

Nazim of North Nazimabad Town Fasihuddin Siddiqui addressed the press conference. He was flanked, among others, by Gulberg Town Nazim Farooq Naimatullah, Jamshed Town Nazim Qasim Parekh, Gulshan Town Nazim Abdul Wahab, New Karachi Nazim Shafiqur Rehman Osmani and Korangi Town Nazim Mr Jameel.

They claimed that the federal government had given a free hand to Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

"If the Centre did not change its attitude, all the elected members of city government, as well as town and UC administrations, would be constrained to chalk out a joint strategy, which may include stop working at all levels."

They read out a statement calling on the Sindh governor and MQM leadership to adopt a positive attitude towards the representatives of local government or be prepared to face people's reaction.

In reply to a question, Farooq Naimatullah said: "The purpose of calling this press conference is to register our protest against singling out Liaquatabad Town Nazim Dr Pervez Mehmood who is being victimized."

He recalled that Dr Pervez had first been implicated in a murder case. Later, his name was reportedly put on the top of the MQM's hit list containing five other names, he claimed.

Recently, Mr Farooq said, the nazim had been detained illegally at North Nazimabad police station where he had gone to meet two students of the Jinnah College. When the people present at that police station raised their voice against the attitude of police and chanted slogans against the government, police let off Dr Pervez, but resorted to conduct a raid on his house early in the morning.

Expressing resentment over the government's attitude, Farooq Naimatullah said it seemed that serving people was being regarded as a crime and the government did not want to see the local government system work. "Why doesn't it implicate all the 18 town nazims in a single case and dismiss them all?" he questioned.

Jamshed Town Nazim Qasim Parekh pointed out that although the chief minister had issued a notification prohibiting transfer/posting of an officer before he completed one year of his service, two TMOs of Jamshed town had been transferred in violation of the same notification.

Mr Parekh alleged that MQM ministers had been hindering the smooth functioning of the local government at city, town and UC levels by resorting to interference in their affairs.

In this regard, he made mention of the city government's move to merge the Malir Development Authority (MDA) and Lyari Development Authority (LDA) into a single project in order to facilitate working, contain corruption and improve efficiency. However, he said, the city government notification had been nullified by the provincial government. The matter has since been referred to a court, he added.

The nazims, in their statement, insisted that it was under the governor's instruction that Dr Pervez Mehmood had been detained for seven/eight hours.

"The matter of the hit-list, where Dr Pervez Mehmood's name is on the top, is very much in the knowledge of the federal government, but it was still not ready to move against the MQM or strip it of the free hand it enjoys," the statement deplored.